


End Has Come, The

by HASA_Archivist



Category: The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Action, Fellowship of the Ring, War of the Ring
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-16
Updated: 2015-04-16
Packaged: 2018-03-23 06:19:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,046
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3757675
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HASA_Archivist/pseuds/HASA_Archivist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The One Ring is taken from Frodo's grasp in the fires of Mount Doom and returned to its old master, Sauron. The host of men come to the Black Gate, but has it taken them to their doom and the ending of the Fellowship of the Ring? Will Aragorn triumph, or will men fall?</p>
            </blockquote>





	End Has Come, The

**Author's Note:**

> Note from the HASA Transition Team: This story was originally archived at [HASA](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Henneth_Ann%C3%BBn_Story_Archive), which closed in February 2015. To preserve the archive, we began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in February 2015. We posted announcements about the move, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this author, please contact The HASA Transition Team using the e-mail address on the [HASA collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/hasa/profile).

Sam Sat up and cried out "Mr. Frodo". His head bled, blood spilling into his eyes. He groped forwards, dazed, then his eyes beheld a horrific sight. Just ahead of him, at the very entrance to the chamber there came a scream, loud and piercing it came, chilling his very bones, and he doubled over, clenching his ears. And as he lay there many terrible things happened that should not have but the Ring is ever powerful. He saw a black beast lunge, claws splayed at some unseen thing at the door. Then he heard a scream, though not terrible but more like a human and he recognised it as the voice of Frodo. Then in Sam's heart something broke and he struggled towards the opening, but out of fate or pure bad luck Sam did not know, two strong hands wrapped themselves about his neck. With a choking gasp he fell backwards, struggling against the hands that held him. "Nasty fat Hobbit, we kills you, yes precious. We hates you. Master betrayed us. Not that way we told him, not that way precious. But he never listens to us!" Gollum hissed into Sam's ear. A wild light shone in his eyes, flashing brightly at him. "Filthy Hobbit, so nasty, so nosy. We pokes your eyeses out, yes, we did it once, we can do it again. gollum, gollum" he snarled. Sam groaned and turned away from the gleaming eyes. " Well Mr. Frodo. I s'pose this is the end at last." he murmured, sighed and then grew silent.  
\------------  
Frodo lay now, where he had long been thrown. He thought of the Ring in the last few moments, only, it was gone. The enemy had taken it. Then, when everything began to fade his thoughts turned to Sam. Samwise Gamgee who now lay motionless in the Chamber of Fire. With the last ounce of strength remaining in his broken body he whispered softly into the sky. His dry lips hardly moving " I'm so sorry Sam, here at the end of all things I lie, it's over my dear Sam." As he spoke these words he heard a clear, distant note rang out in the air, a horn blowing out the last words of hope and the earth faded and Frodo died.  
\------------  
Then all that was good and green in Middle-earth was lost, and far away the Lady Galadriel bowed her golden head and her bright eyes died grey and she fell silent. And Celeborn gazed south-east and became still, and his glory seemed to fade. And the Shire was overcome by shadow and the Hobbits fled into their holes in fright. And the animals trembled where they were. And Rivendell lay dark and sullen, and Elrond shut his eyes but Arwen wept and fell stricken. Mirkwood darkened and Thranduil sat upon his throne and there were tears in his eyes, and the elves cried out loud then became silenced. And the Lake-men wept, and many thrust themselves into the waters for their doom. And they seemed to have been driven mad. "Middle-earth is lost," they wailed and the sound carried far over the waters to the ears of others. And deep in their hall the dwarves halted in their doings and their faces grew grim and they shook. Rohan seemed sunken, and the women cradling their children faded. Gondor's glory crumpled, and the shadows sank down lower upon the people and the once beautiful carvings.  
And all over Middle-earth the shadow grew ever darker and all were struck with fear, and a great quake devoured the lands and all that were once beautiful faded.  
And green, cool lands shrivelled, and forests of Lorien and Rivendell grew grey and the trees died. And the Ents withdrew, and receded deep into the dying trees of Fangorn, never to be seen again. The immortal ones shrank under the shadow, and Galadriel's wonder died. And rivers and streams darkened and ceased in flow and fumes poisoned the air and water. In his tall tower watched Saruman and his grovelling whelp Grima.  
\------------

At the base of the Black Gate a great wail went up and the men threw themselves to the ground. All except Aragorn who remained standing, and in his hand Anduril shone and all who looked upon him quaked for in his eyes there shone great wrath and hope. Legolas stood also alongside Gimli who shook his axe at the army. But Legolas' fair face remained motionless and the enemy laughed and shook their weapons.  
Then, soundlessly the black gate opened, its battlement echoing with the thump of weapons and screams of orcs. From within the depths of Mordor a shadow moved forth. Tall and terrific it was, foul mists wreathed through its legs and the men stirred on the ground. But it stopped and stood still and even the heart of Legolas quailed at the sight. Like a menace it waited and the black army moved in killing all the men heartlessly. Then Eomer was slain and he cried out to his father. The army cared little for dwarves and Hobbits and they slaughtered Pippin though the others aggressively defended him. But when they came to Gimli a clear call pierced the air and they stopped long enough for Legolas to spring forwards and his bow sang and seven orcs lay dead before his feet. And he fought with anger but the army overwhelmed him and held him down and an orc blade killed Gimli and he fell to the ground at the helpless elf's feet. But Legolas struggled strongly and Aragorn slew the orcs that held him and he knelt down and cradled the dwarf's head in his arms and wept. The orcs snarled with laughter and in Legolas' fair face there was a great hurt ever seen upon that of an elf. And it was then that his heart was broken and a great friendship ended and he dropped his bow that he had received as a gift from the Lady and laid it gently upon the dwarf's chest and sang in a soft voice that would bring tears to the ears of others. But the orcs and wild men held no pity for him and they mocked his fairness. Gandalf laid his hand gently upon the elf's shoulder and he rose but dropped his gaze from the enemy's eyes. And as he stood there to the likeness of a servant to his master in front of the body of Gimli he spoke to the Dark Lord " A foul deed you have done me, nay, I stand still and through you cruelty and triumph Elessar still remains and not all is lost. I fight for only those I love and slay those that do evil to this earth. You I do not love, and you will hear my words. Gimli son of Gloin, greatest friend of mine and him you have fallen. You shall pay." He spoke and lifted his eyes to meet that of the unnamed " The Ring will be destroyed and you shall fail in your wicked plot."  
Then there came a wicked sound to the ears of Legolas and it was Sauron laughing. "Foolish elf, do not think you threaten me." Then he lifted his right arm and held forth his hand and all eyes turned towards the new terror that was held upon it. The Ring shone brightly upon the middle finger and the words glimmered clearly. On their faces there was a great despair. Gandalf's face grew grim and he raised his staff as if to shield the small company but Legolas fell on his knees and bent his head in failure. Aragorn remained standing, his face set sternly. His knuckles white, gripping the sword hilt and Anduril shone all the more clearly but he shook slightly and his shoulder vibrated and he looked fearfully on the dark lord's shape.  
"Pitiful you now seem King, though King you are no more but a prize within my grasp as is your wizard, and your elf is little more than a slave to me. Hinder me for you have failed and Men have fallen. And those rat-folk you sent within my domain have failed and are dead and my dominion over Middle-earth is now fulfilled."  
At these words both Aragorn and Legolas sprang forth but fate seemed against them that day and Gandalf called them back from their madness. Then Sauron moved forward, and it seemed to them that he grew taller, towering above them, and his face was complete blackness even in the light that threatened to face him. The shadow was like a mask shielding the face from within if there was one. His body was set in dark armour forged by slaves. Around his shoulder there was draped a great cloak and it glimmered for it was set with plates of iron. He wielded no weapon yet his hand shone. But Imrahil heeded not the armour and sprang forth with his blade to smite the Dark Lord's neck. But as he drew close his sword shattered and he fell to the ground in terror. His fair face was wrung with pain and his body jerked and swung on the ground. And there before their eyes his body changed and grew ugly and there before them was an orc of Mordor.  
Aragorn stepped forward but the orc bared its fangs at him and drew back and they watched with sorrow as the black body disappeared into the ranks of Mordor.  
Then with sudden agility Aragorn pulled from his belt a horn, and it glimmered with gold carvings. In his hand he rested to his lips and blew a long note. Clear and sweet it rang in the air and the army cowered and hissed. Sauron grew ever darker and chanted in Dark speech, heeding not the horn. Then he spoke and his voice was loud and more terrible than before. "Why do you blow such hope in the hour? The Rings power cannot be undone and I will gather to me all the rings of power and unite them. Slaves I will make you, Master you shall call me and I will parade you before my great army."  
Then he moved away and the host closed in around them, but Elladan and Elohir, so fair a beautiful sprang out, and their grace shone, and stunned the army. And they slew many before they were borne down to the earth, as were Aragorn and Legolas. But Gandalf rose, great a powerful and shone as bright as a star and yet again the army was stunned and those that were nearest to him were thrown to the ground and he fought but it was clear that his power was failing for he did not glimmer as before and he grew weakened and to Aragorn he was an old, wizened beggar. Then he let fall his staff and Glamdring clattered to the ground also and he bent to the ground and moaned. The others watched in bewilderment for all his power had gone and the enemy bound him, and they led him away through the black gates into the darkness of Mordor and that was the last that any of them ever saw Gandalf for a long time.  
The three elves were bound with ropes of iron, and as Aragorn watched, Legolas, whose heart was gone from within, looked not upon the army but deep into Aragorn's eyes. There he saw a dying forest, which beheld a fading beauty of many centuries, and Estel's hand let go of the blade, which he so tightly gripped and it fell to the ash and shattered into thousands of pieces. Then Legolas son of Thranduil and the sons of Elrond were lost in the darkness of Mordor and none ever laid eyes upon them again. Aragorn was bound and the jewel upon his chest shone brightly as he was lead into the darkness. Soon it too was swallowed up and the last of the Line of Kings vanished forever from the sight of mortal men.  
And so all the men were slaughtered, and all that was good was gone. The fellowship, so bound by love and hope had come to an end. The time of men had fallen.


End file.
